Strange Fire
by MsZoid
Summary: Sequel to Shamless. Coralie's back with a request for Craig, but Craig's got some plans for her too.
1. Chapter One

I don't own Degrassi, Damnit!  
  
This is the sequel to "Shameless" and it takes place two years after the end of that story. Craig and Marco and Ellie have just graduated from High School.  
  
Chapter One  
  
Craig and Marco sat on the front steps of Craig's house, because they were afraid to go inside.  
  
"What do you think they're doing in there?" Marco asked.  
  
"Angie's trying on her dress. Lots of giggling females, I'm so not getting involved."  
  
"I can't believe they're getting married in less than a month."  
  
"Finally, man Joey was so scared to ask her...don't ask me why." Craig was happy that his stepdad Joey was finally marrying Caitlin, who he'd loved since high school. "I'm glad though, it'll be nice to have a family to come home to on weekends."  
  
"Yeah, I'm just glad we're going to be roommates." Craig and Marco were both going to be attending McGill University in Toronto. "I'm going to miss Ellie though."  
  
"Did someone say my name?" Ellie said, as she walked up to the boys. Ellie was going to be attending Simon Frasier University in Vancouver.   
  
"I'm just saying that we're going to miss you." Marco responded.  
  
"Ah. I have come with news. I got an email today from Coralie." At the eye raises Ellie nodded. "Yes, that Coralie, she's taking a six month break from her station-lots of vacation time saved up. She'll be here in a few days."  
  
"Here. Like here. Here here?" Craig sounded like a freak, he knew, but he was just so shocked. He hadn't seen or heard from Coralie in two years, not since she graduated from university and moved to the US to get away from...he didn't want to say or think himself, but that had been part of it. She'd wanted to get away from her ex-husband, too, but a lot of it had been due to Craig and the affair they'd been having.  
  
Marco looked at Ellie. "Does she want to see..us"  
  
"I'm not sure about us two, Marco, but she said she needed to talk to Craig. I guess she'll call when she gets back in town. She mentioned the wedding too, I guess Caitlin has talked to her."  
  
Craig nodded, he wasn't shocked that Caitlin and Ellie had talked to her, but he felt envious of that fact. He knew that talking to Coralie would have been a bad thing, because of what had happened between them, but he wished things had been different. They were different now though, he was an adult, he could do what he wanted-and he wanted Coralie.  
  
That night after dinner Caitlin told Craig she wanted to talk to him. "What's up, Caitlin? Did you find a new best man?"  
  
"Its not that Craig...Coralie's coming to the wedding..she's coming to stay in Toronto for a few months."  
  
"I know. Ellie told me, she's talked to her too."  
  
"I'm not stupid, I'm sure you'll see her. Just be careful."  
  
"Does Joey know?"  
  
"Yes, he does. He's not happy about you seeing her, but you're an adult know, Craig. But we trust you to be mature."  
  
"Caitlin, she's only here for a few months, what could happen?" Famous last words. 


	2. Chapter Two

Authors note: I'm back! School's out, so I need something to keep my amusement after my days spent at Postal Hell.   
  
I was rereading Shameless and realized "Hey, this is probably one of the best stories I've done." This gave me a lot of ideas for this story. I'll also be working on a new story, and possibly updating my other unfinished works  
  
Once again---MsZoid, does not own Degrassi. If She did she would not be making minimum wage.  
  
STrange Fire, Chapter two.  
  
"It's a monkey suit." Craig looked at Joey. "I hate having to wear this."  
  
"You are best man, you'll have to deal with it. Now let the nice lady hem your pants." Craig rolled his eyes at Joey but did as he was told. Once the suit was hemmed, he got to sit down and let Joey and Snake take turns getting hemmed. This wedding thing was annoying, no matter how happy he was for them.  
  
Craig sat at the window that over looked the street, watching cars and people. The city moved as he sat there, in his tux, thinking about what the fall would bring.  
  
Then, he saw her. She was walking down the street, long legs in a denim skirt, shirt lipstick red. It was Coralie. He could tell without seeing her upclose-there was a way she moved, a way he'd never forget. He couldn't keep his eyes off of him as she moved closer and closer. She was even on the right side of the street.  
  
As she got close to the window he was sitting in, she seemed to notice him. Her eyes grew wide for a fraction of a second, then she smiled. Broadly, and moved very close to the window, blowing him a kiss as she did so. Then she walked away.   
  
Craig was left staring after her. Joey then came over and told him it was time to get dressed, so he did.  
  
That night, Caitlin and Craig were making burritos. Craig was mostly chopping up the tomatos and shredding the lettuce, but he was helping. He was in the middle of an onion-that Caitlin for some reason wanted-when the doorbell rang. Craig expected Marco to be there, he was fighting with Dylan again. It wasn't Marco, it was Coralie.   
  
She didn't look at him, rather she looked through him. "Is Caitlin around?"  
  
"In the kitchen." He lead her back there. "Caitlin? You have company."  
  
Caitlin looked over at Coralie and smiled. "Cora! You made it, come have a seat." Coralie complied. "How are you?"  
  
"Still managing. Its nice to be back in Toronto, though." She smiled at Craig. He smiled back, involuntarily.   
  
"Where are you staying?" Caitlin didn't miss a beat as she rolled up the burritos to be put in the oven. "YOu're staying for supper aren't you?"  
  
"I can stay...I'm staying in a hotel-the Hilton over by the overpass"   
  
"You can't stay there! You'll stay here. In Angie's room. She can sleep on the floor. Let me ask Joey."  
  
"Ask Joey what?" He said, walking into the room. He stopped when he saw Coralie sitting at the table, near Craig. "Hello Coralie."  
  
"Coralie is staying here for a while. She can't just stay in a hotel room! She can sleep in Angie's room with Angie on the floor." Craig noticed how the closer it got to the wedding the less relaxed Caitlin's speaking style had gotten.   
  
Joey must have noticed too. "I suppose...she should go get her things from the hotel."   
  
"Craig,go with Coralie." Caitlin ordered this, and Joey said nothing, despite the way his hands were gripping the kitchen counter. Craig just nodded and they headed into the car Coralie had driven to the house.  
  
They said nothing most of the way there, but finally Craig spoke. "Ellie said you wanted to talk to me."  
  
"I did..." SHe sighed. "Its...complicated."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"What I want from you."  
  
"And that is?"  
  
"It can wait until we get to the hotel."  
  
THey went to the hotel and Coralie began packing up her things. She didn't look him in the face as she made her request. "I want you to father my child."   
  
Craig blinked. "What?"  
  
"I want a baby. I'm 26 years old, I'm ready. I just don't want a man. I want you to father it."  
  
"Um...can I think about it."  
  
"Think all you want, Kid. You know where I'm staying." With that she snapped the suitcase closed. 


	3. Chapter Three

I don't own Degrassi. I don't own much of anything, really.   
  
Chapter Three  
  
The drive back to the house was quiet, Coralie speading down the street as Craig thought about what she had said. She wanted him to father her child.  
  
"Like Sperm donation?"  
  
"We'd have sex, I'd get pregnant, then I'd have the kid." She looked at him. "I'm not on vacation. I quit my job. I'll probably try to find a job at a station far enough outside Toronto...but not too far. So that no one knew about the baby, but that if you wanted to see it now and again it would be ok. Not often. Just think about it." Coralie concluded as she parked the car into the driveway.   
  
Craig was shocked. Of all the things she could have asked him this was something he didn't expect. He had a ton of questions, but figured they could wait.  
  
The five of them sat down for dinner, Angie happy to see Coralie again. Coralie had been sending her birthday and Christmas presents, something Craig didn't realize until it was mentioned over dinner. Craig realized that there was a lot he didn't know about the last two years in Coralie's life.  
  
"So, Coralie, are you dating anyone?" Caitlin asked. "Because I never thought to add an 'and guest' to your wedding invitation."  
  
"No, I'm not dating anyone right now. Its not something I'm interested in. Maybe once my career is going." Coralie was always a skilled liar, she considered it one of her talents. She knew that if she mentioned how she wanted a baby, things might come out that she didn't want.   
  
As they finished the meal the doorbell rang. It was a very angry Marco Del Rossi. "I'm going to break up with him."  
  
"You've been saying that for at least three of the six months you've been dating Dylan." Craig replied, casually, as he let Marco in.  
  
"He's driving me crazy. Relationships suck."  
  
"Ah, a young cynic." Coralie smiled at Marco, who went over and gave him a hug. "Come on tell me about it. Is there somewhere quiet we can go?"  
  
"My room" Craig offered, and he saw a look of nervousness pass over Joey's face, then it passed. Marco would be there, and everyone was home. The three of them headed up to Craigs room.  
  
"I don't know, maybe its time for Dylan and I to break up."  
  
"Its your choice man." Craig had heard this before from Marco.  
  
"I mean..he's the only guy I've dated."  
  
Coralie nodded. "You know I was married once, right?" Marco shook his head. "You don't? I figured Craig mentioned it. So, yeah, I married right out of high school. We'd dated for four years, I thought he was It. He wasn't..."  
  
Marco and Craig nodded. "Like with me and Ashley." Craig agreed. "I loved her but it just..wasn't right."  
  
"Sometimes, Marco, you have to ride training wheels before a bike. Dylan might be your training wheels." At Marco's nod Coralie went on. "But he might not be-you have to decide that for yourself."   
  
"How'd you get so smart?" Craig joked.  
  
"Years of experiance, Craigo." Something passed between them at the use of her old nickname for him. Something intangible, that made Craig realize that for him, she wasn't training wheels. He knew then that they would have to have a nice long chat about her question for him. He also knew he wasn't going to be saying no. 


	4. Chapter Four

I don't own Degrassi  
  
Strange Fire, Chapter Four  
  
The minute Marco closed the door behind him on his way out of the house Craig spoke. He knew he didn't have too long, because Joey would be up to check on them. "Why me?"  
  
"Why not you?" Coralie didn't even have to ask what he meant by his statement. "You're smart, funny, cute...why wouldn't I want you to father my child?"  
  
"Because of my father? Because of my past...when I was in grade 10 I was almost a father. She had an abortion." This was something Craig had never mentioned to Coralie when they had been involved that spring. He hadn't thought it was important, because they only had a sexual relationship. He did, however, know Coralie knew about his father, but he didn't know how. She'd mentioned it once, two years prior, and he'd always assumed Caitlin had told.  
  
"You never told me."  
  
"It wasn't important."  
  
"It is now." Coralie knew that this meant that Craig may want to have more to do with the baby than she'd planned. Then again, when had things with Craig Manning ever gone according to plan? "I don't want you to make a hasty choice. This is something you have to think about."  
  
"We have to think about, you mean." Coralie raised her eyebrows at him, but Craig continued. "I have feelings for you. Feelings more than friendship, more than physical attraction. I can't explain them--but I know that I've had them for two years. I've dated since you left, but not seriously. I've been waiting for you. I wanted to find you...the minute I turned 18 I wanted to contact you, but I never did. But now you're here, and you're asking for this huge thing from me. I can't just impregnate you and leave."  
  
Coralie sighed. "Maybe this was a bad idea. Asking this from you. I should have just found a donor."  
  
"Coralie...I understand what you want from me, but I don't know if I can be detached."  
  
"I don't know if I can handle you being attached."   
  
"So you have no feelings for you."  
  
This made Coralie laugh. She laughed for what seemed to Craig to be ten minutes, but couldn't have been more than two. "Craig...kid...Craigo." She stood up then and left the room. Craig heard her entering Angie's room and looking for something. She came back with her wallet, wich she threw at him. "Look in here."  
  
Craig looked, and just behind her ID, he found something he never expected to see again. It was the fake ID she had made for him not long after they had met. "You kept it?"  
  
"Yeah, I did." Craig took it out of the slot and played with it for a long time, not looking at Coralie. "Craig, you're 18. No matter what else I feel for you, you're 18."  
  
He looked up, mind suddenly putting two and two together. "This isn't about me. This is about your marriage. You think that because you married young and it didn't work that this won't work because of my age."   
  
"Partially. Craig, I want a child."  
  
"You want my child. I know you Coralie, you'd go find some guy at a club or find a sperm clinic or something--you don't just want the child do you."  
  
"I want the child. And I wanted a chance to be with you again. But I can't handle you being so very involved...What would Joey and Caitlin say?"  
  
"I want you to remember that I'm an adult." Craig just looked at Coralie. "I can handle Joey and Caitlin."  
  
"Craig?" COralie sighed. "Maybe we should table this talk until after the wedding."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I need some time to think." That seemed to satisfy Craig, who agreed. 


	5. Chapter Five

I don't own Degrassi. I swore I'd never ask for reviews, but if you are reading this story, please review somehow, I just want to know someone who's not me is reading this.  
  
Strange Fire, Chapter Five  
  
Craig couldn't sleep. It was just too strange, knowing Coralie was in the room across the hall. He decided to head downstairs to get a glass of water. When he got to the kitchen he realized someone was in there. It was Coralie.  
  
He tried to creep past her but she saw him. "Craig? That you?"  
  
"No, its the boogyman." She smiled then, but he could tell she was upset. "Whats wrong."  
  
"I shouldn't have come here." That was all she said, but somehow she managed to convey everything that was happening inside her in that short sentance. The pain, the fear, and the love.   
  
"Yes, you should have. I've spent the last two years thinking about you every single night." He sat down at the table with her. "Coralie, I would have left with you if you'd asked me to."  
  
"I know you would have. Why do you think I didn't ask." Craig would have been suprised to know that she had for a moment, thought about having him run away with her. But the risks had outweighed the rewards in that situation, and so she'd moved to the United States, alone, hoping that the border would help keep out her memories. They hadn't.  
  
"I love you."  
  
"Craig..You're 18. What do you know about love."  
  
"I know more than you think. Coralie, I'm old enough to know that I want you."  
  
"You don't even know me, Craig." The words came out with more venom than she'd wanted, but they were true enough. "You haven't seen me in two years, and even then we mostly just had sex and talked about stupid stuff. You know nothing about me."  
  
"Go on a date with me." Coralie was speechless, and Craig continued. "Go on a date with me. No sex, just getting to know each other."   
  
"A date? Joey will flip out."  
  
"What will Joey flip out about?" It was Caitlin, evidently insomnia was catching.  
  
"Craig asked me on a date." Coralie said, as she stood up. "I'm heading back to bed." She walked upstairs while Caitlin got herself some juice. She then joined Craig at the table.  
  
"A date."  
  
"Yes, she was saying that we didn't know each other very well...I love her. I told her that, she told me it was impossible." Craig was telling the story backwards but he didn't care, and Caitlin understood what he was saying.  
  
"So you asked her on a date."  
  
"Yes, I did. I just wanted a chance to get to know her."  
  
"She didn't say yes?"  
  
"She didn't say anything, you came down before she answered."  
  
"You care about Coralie." It wasn't a question, Caitlin knew better, and she also knew the answer.  
  
"Very much so. I've missed her. Not just the sex, but the..." He trailed off, slightly embaressed that he'd just admitted that he'd had sex with Coralie. Caitlin pretended to ignore it and waited for him to continue. "It just felt natural when we'd hang out and talk, it felt right."  
  
Caitlin nodded. "I see." That was the last thing either of them said, they just sat for a while in silence, then headed upstairs to their beds. 


	6. Chapter Six

I don't own Degrassi. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfic.   
  
AN--I'm back! My computer had a major crash and so I've been gone, but we finally got it fixed...with no sound but I can live. I'm so happy.  
  
Strange Fire, Chapter Six.  
  
Coralie was scared to get out of bed. She knew what was waiting downstairs-Craig. He'd asked her on a date last night, as if it was completely normal for an 18 year old to ask his 26 year old former fuck buddy for a date. However, the need for food outweighed any need Coralie had to avoid Craig, and she headed downstairs. The only person in the kitchen was Joey.  
  
"Morning, Coralie."  
  
"Morning Joey." She got herself some cereal, then looked at Joey. "I'm thinking about going back to the hotel."  
  
"I'd like that." At least he was being honest with her. "But Caitlin wants you here, and she's going to be a bride in two weeks."  
  
Coralie nodded. "I'm just not comfortable here, because of things." This was, after all, the kitchen in which Joey had caught her making out with Craig and then basically told her to leave the country or he'd have her arrested.   
  
"Because of Craig."  
  
"That would be the reason, yes." She looked at him, weighing her options. "He asked me on a date."  
  
"Did you say yes?"  
  
"I haven't given him an answer yet. I want to say yes, but...it wouldn't be right."  
  
"I never expected you to be the type of person who lived by anyone else's morals." Joey was right, she'd never exactly been normal. But this was different, she kept teling herself. Craig was just a boy.  
  
"Would you approve if we went on a date?"  
  
"I wouldn't be happy, but Craig is an adult. He can do what he wants."  
  
"I see."  
  
"You're going to say yes." Coralie wondered if Joey could read her that easily or if he was just guessing. She hoped it was the latter.   
  
"Not if it would cause troubles. You're his family, I'm just a woman."  
  
"A woman he clames to love." Coralie raised her eyebrows. While Joey had a point, so did she--Joey was family. He could find someone else to take her place, but Joey was all Craig had as far as family went. Coralie wasn't going to be the cause of a falling out.   
  
She said as much to Joey. "He's your stepson, you love him. Thats real love. I don't know if what he feels for me is real love, or a figment of his imagination." As Coralie said that she realized something--she wasn't doing Craig a favor in saying no. He deserved to find out if this was love or not. "Where is Craig?"  
  
"In his room. You're going to say yes?"  
  
"Yeah, I think I'm going to."  
  
Coralie headed upstairs to Craig's room, knocking on his door.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Is that anyway to treat a guest?" Coralie leaned up against the door after she closed it. Craigt was sitting on his bed, with his guitar. "Especially one with an answer."  
  
"An answer?"  
  
"Yes. Yes, I have an answer. And yes is the answer."   
  
Craig seemed perplexed for a moment, and then he understood what she was saying. "So, you'll go on a date with me?" He was trying to seem calm and cool, but it wasn't working very well, because he had a look on his face like he wanted to jump up and down and scream. "Tonight?"  
  
"Not tonight, I've got plans with my mother."  
  
"You're mother?"  
  
"Yes, my mother-she's a medical transcriptionist and is in town for some training. We're having dinner."   
  
Craig had never heard Coralie mention her family before. "They don't live in Toronto?"  
  
"Nope, they live in Regina. They moved there right after...when I was in college." He knew she meant right after either her marriage or divorse, but wasn't going to say anything. "My brother's a ski bum in Vail, Colorado." This was the most Coralie had ever divulged about her past, and Craig was happy she'd even told him that much.  
  
"Tomorrow night then? It is Saturday after all, the big date night."  
  
Coralie just laughed and agreed. She headed downstairs and heard the doorbell ring, opening it to find a teary Marco on the other side. "Whats wrong Marco?"  
  
"Dylan dumped me...Is Craig around?"  
  
"He's in his room...do you want me to call Ellie?" Marco nodded and Coralie picked up the phone. 


	7. Chapter Seven

I don't own Degrassi.  
  
Strange Fire: Chapter Seven  
  
Ellie hurred over to Craig's house following Coralie's phone call. As she waited for Ellie, Coralie noticed that it wasn't even noon yet. Not yet noon, and all this drama. Perhaps she should have stayed in the states, of couse, she was happy enough back in Canada.  
  
Ellie showed up and the four of them converged in Craig's room to hear Marco's sad tale.   
  
"He called me this morning, wanted to meet for breakfast. And after we were done eating he told me that we should break up. That we need time apart."  
  
Ellie, ever the pragmatist, said, "You guys were fighting a lot, maybe you do need the time apart."   
  
Marco just sighed. "I know its probably for the best but.."  
  
"But you aren't going to believe that for a while now. Its the way of the world, Marco. No matter what you know-if you know that being single is for the best-you aren't going to believe it. Its just how life is. Trust me, I'm an expert." Coralie was, compared to the others. Not only was she six years older than them, but she had also once been married. Marco just nodded at her, and she went on. "But one day, you'll wake up and realize that it was for the best. That everything happens for the reason."  
  
"Do you honestly believe that?" Ellie had never been one for that particular philosophy, but she could see how Coralie thought that way.  
  
"Yes, I do. I have to, or else I would go crazy." She just shrugged. "Marco, next weekend we'll go out, find you a real man. You are legal now."   
  
The three of them laughed at the memories of the times they would go clubing with COralie two years ago. "Why can't we go this weekend?" Marco protested.  
  
"I'm having dinner with my mom tonight, and tomorrow...I kinda have a date" Coralie knew she was blushing, and she didn't care. It felt very weird to be able to say she had a date.  
  
"Who with?" Ellie said. Both her and Marco had momentarily flashes of what Craig was probably thinking, knowing Coralie had a date.  
  
"Me" Craig seemed proud, and he was. He was very happy Coralie had said yes to the date.  
  
"No way." Marco flashed his first smile of the day, briefly. "What are you going to wear?"  
  
"Clothes." Craig said, rolling his eyes. "I don't know yet."  
  
"A skirt, and a top." That was Coralie's thought, as she only wore skirts, it was obvious she was also being somewhat sarcastic.   
  
"Do you own any pants?" Ellie asked, in all seriousness. Coralie just shook her head no. Everyone kinda shruged at that.  
  
"I don't mind going out sometime, but I'm not ready for a...I don't want to meet anyone, I mean, I just got dumped."  
  
"We aren't talking about setting you up, just the four of us hanging out." Marco nodded at that. "So, Coralie, what time do you meet your mother?"  
  
"Five thirty. I haven't seen her in over a year, I'm so happy." Coralie was smiling now, and it was a huge smile. "I just wish my dad was coming to, but he has to work."   
  
"At least he's in the same country." Ellie half-joked. Her dad had left again a few weeks ago and was going to be gone when Ellie moved away for college.   
  
"True"  
  
The friends decided to put in a movie, and then later everyone left, including Coralie who had to meet her mother. 


	8. Chapter Eight

I do not own Degrassi. I can't even get my cordless phone to work.  
  
Strange Fire, Chapter Eight.  
  
Coralie turned the key Caitlin had given her into the lock. After dinner with her mother, she'd gone for a ride, sat by the water for an hour or two, and just thought. She'd wanted a child. That was all she'd come to Canada for. Sure, getting to go to the wedding-just two weeks away-was nice, but what she'd really wanted was for Craig Manning to give her a child. She'd seen the child in her head for months before realizing that the little toddler she was imagining had dark curly hair, just like Craig's. That image had given her the strength to leave the US and return to Toronto.   
  
Coralie entered the quiet house, tiptoeing into the home as to not wake anyone. She saw a head on the couch and realized that she wasn't the only one awake at two in the morning. She saw a head of dark hair and hoped the figure didn't belong to Angela.   
  
It didn't. "That was a long dinner."  
  
"You waited up for me?"  
  
Craig shook his head. "I've been up about a half hour, couldn't sleep."  
  
"Seems to be going around. Must be nerves about the wedding." Coralie knew the real reason for Craig's nerves, but didn't say it, waiting to see if he'd mention it.  
  
He didn't disappoint. "I have a date with you...well, I guess its tonight now. A real date." His smile was white in the dark, and she couldn't help but smile back. "I've been walking on air since you said yes."  
  
"I'm glad it made you happy." It made her happy too, this innocent date, but she didn't say so. "I haven't been on a date in years."  
  
"I'll be sure to make it special, then Coralie." He would too, his mind already formulating plans and ideas, thinking of restaurants and flowers and if he should wear a tie. It just flipped through his head, wondering and wanting everything to be perfect, because she was a woman and it should be perfect for a woman. Perfect for The Woman, capital letters, and underlined even, because he wanted her to feel in his heart the flutter he felt whenever they spoke or touched or were in the same room.   
  
"Even if its not special, or wonderful, or perfect, I'm sure we'll have a great time, we always do." Sometimes it was as if she could read his mind, or perhaps her mind was going in the same direction.   
  
"Thanks for saying that." Coralie smiled at him, and sat down on the couch, next to him, but not too close.  
  
"Craig, I like spending time with you, I always have. Remember the time you cut class and we watched talk shows, and did imitations of the people on them?" At a nod Coralie continued. "When I was in DC and work got hard or something, thats what I thought about. Not the clubbing, not even the sex, but just enjoying a day."   
  
This made Craig smile. "Thanks for saying that."  
  
"Now, get to bed, you have a date tonight." Coralie laughed as she pulled him up off the couch and they headed to their rooms.   
  
Craig contemplated the outfits on his bed. He'd been doing this for over ten minutes when Joey walked in.   
  
"What, did your closet explode?"  
  
"I have a date with Coralie. I have no idea what to wear."  
  
"Try clothes?" Joey laughed at the look Craig gave him. "Craig, she won't care, you know she won't."  
  
"I want to look special, I want to look...I want to look worthy of her. She's a smart, successful woman. I don't want to be a kid."  
  
"Craig.." Joey didn't know what to say, he settled for, "She doesn't think of you as a kid. And I think Caitlin put less thought into choosing her wedding dress than you have tonight."  
  
"She did not!" Craig picked up a shirt. "I'll wear this, and my black pants."  
  
Joey nodded his agreement. "Thats fine. Now, I know you are 18, but ..."  
  
"You can not possibly be giving me a curfew."  
  
"One a.m. Craig, no later." Craig nodded, he wasn't going to fight with Joey about this issue. It was pointless, and he did live under Joey's roof.   
  
Craig headed downstairs, and Coralie came down a few minutes later. She looked lovely and he couldn't help but smile as he remembered the things they'd done in the past. He wanted tonight to be special, because of his fear that he'd never get another date with her.   
  
Joey said one more time that Craig had to be back by 1 am, and then they headed to the restaurant. 


	9. Chapter Nine

I don't own Degrassi.  
  
I'm also now going to be scorekeeping a trivia game as well as working and such, so updates are going to slow down. I also want this story-and my other story-to be Good. I don't want to rush my writing.  
  
Strange Fire, Chapter Nine  
  
Coralie noticed how white Craigs hands were as they gripped the stearing wheel. He had wanted to drive, and she understood how he wanted it to be a 'proper date', and agreed.  
  
"Craig, pull the car over." They were about six blocks from the house when she said this, and Craig was scared but did as asked. Coralie then kissed him, deeply. "Craig. Relax." She told him this as they pulled apart.   
  
"Relax. Ok...wait, if I don't relax do I get more kisses?"  
  
"No, you get them if you do relax."  
  
"Then I'll relax." He looked at her and they both started laughing. The tension between them instantly broken.  
  
"Craig, its like I said. I'm on this date because its you. I don't care what we do."  
  
"I was thinking dinner...and then something else, but you can pick."  
  
Coralie smiled. "Lets to go an arcade."  
  
"Fine by me." He hadn't exactly planned for that, but he knew it would be a bit better than doing something corny and romantic on such a strange first date. "This is an odd date."  
  
"Is it?"  
  
"Yes. We used to have sex, we don't anymore. You want me to impregnate you, and we're on what is our first real date. Its odd."   
  
Coralie considered this for a moment. "I never professed to be normal. And I do want a baby." She'd sworn not to mention this fact, but Craig had brought it up first. "However, that discussion can wait until after the wedding. Because not only do we have a wedding to get through, we have a heartbroken Marco to deal with."   
  
"Ok, I'd rather talk about the baby than my heartbroken gay best friend on my first date with you." This again cracked Coralie up, and by the time she had composed herself, they were at the restaurant. The two of them sat down and ordered, then a girl and boy came over to them.  
  
"Craig Manning, how are you. I haven't seen you since graduation."  
  
"That was only two weeks ago, Paige."  
  
"Are you at least going to introduce us to your friend?" Paige asked, faking innocence well, but not well enough.  
  
"I'm Coralie Raymond. Who might you be?" She had affected her businesswoman accent, uncomfortable around this girl, despite the fact that she obviously knew Craig.   
  
"I'm Paige, this is Spinner. We graduated with Craig. How do you know him?"  
  
"I used to work for Caitlin. I'm in town for the wedding." That was the easiest way to explain things. What, was she going to tell the truth? 'Craig and I used to sleep together, and I found myself missing him a lot, so since I wanted to start a family of my own, I figured I'd kill two birds with one screw...er stone.'   
  
"And what brings you to dinner?"  
  
"Paige, you are so nosy." Her companion, Spinner, finally spoke. "Craig, you heard about Marco?"  
  
"He was at my door yesterday morning, in tears, so yes."  
  
Paige sighed. "I didn't know he'd be so broken up about it..we should go, I think our food is here." They headed off.  
  
"Paige is Dylan's sister." Craig explained to Coralie who just nodded. "And can we pretend like we never ran into them?"  
  
"That, I can do." They smiled and enjoyed dinner, catching up on the last two years in each other's lives. After dinner they went to the arcade for a couple hours, before leaving at 11 to head back to the house.  
  
"My curfew isn't for two hours, do you want to go walk along the river."  
  
"Walk along the river, huh? Thats what they're calling it now a days." Coralie said with a giggle.   
  
"It sounds better than 'do you wanna find a bench by the water and make out?'" Craig responded.  
  
"Yes and yes." Coralie replyed, and they went down to the water and sat, talking a bit, but mostly kissing. The kisses were better than either had remembered.   
  
"I wish I didn't have a curfew."  
  
"So do I, but its better this way. I want to take things slower than last time."  
  
"I know rockets slower than the last time we were involved, Coralie."   
  
"Exactly my point." At that point they stood up and walked hand in hand to Craig's car and headed to the house, nearly 45 minutes before Craig's curfew. 


	10. Chapter Ten

AN: I'm taking a small break from "Soft Place to Fall" due to writers block.  
  
Also, this chapter contains mature themes. Parental guidance is suggested. Or something like that, but seriously, I rated this R for a reason.   
  
I do not own Degrassi.  
  
Strange Fire, Chapter Ten   
  
Craig was bored. It was nine am on Tuesday, and everyone was gone. Well, not everyone. Coralie was home, but she was sleeping because she'd gone out with some friends from university the night before. Joey and Caitlin were both at work, and Angie had just left for Daycamp. Tuesday was Craig's day off from working at the car lot, and usually he did stuff with Ellie or Marco, but Ellie was working and Marco was off visiting his aunt until tomorrow.   
  
So Craig was bored. Very very bored. His options were to go somewhere, or go wake up Coralie. Naturally, he decided to head up to Angie's room and see if Coralie was awake yet.   
  
He stood in the doorway of the room, watching her sleep. She looked beautiful, and his mind flashed to the first morning he'd woken up next to her. There had only been a dozen times this had happened, because it was so difficult to get away overnight two years ago. Before Craig realized it, he'd gotten into the bed, next to Coralie, and wrapped his arms around her. She stirred slightly, and then snuggled next to him without waking. Craig just smiled and laid there.  
  
It was about ten minutes after he'd gotten into the bed that Coralie began to stir. She felt a body next to her, and murmered "Craig?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
At the responce, Coralie sat bold-upright in bed. "It is you. In bed. With me. I thought I was dreaming." She lay back down next to him, and just waited for his explanation of why he was in bed with her.  
  
"No one else was home, I went to see if you were awake and I just kinda..got into bed." Coralie just smiled at him. "I like this."  
  
"I like it too." She kissed him then, lightly. It grew more intence when he kissed her back, and before she realized it, he'd taken the lead in a way the younger Craig never had. He was on top of her, his hand had moved up the inside of the tee-shirt she was wearing. "Craig...Craig..we need to stop."  
  
"Why?" He looked her in the eyes. "We're alone, you want me, I want you. Is there a good reason for stopping?"  
  
"We're in your sister's bed. She's seven."   
  
Craig realized this, and stood up. "Ok, my room."  
  
"Craig...We have no protection."  
  
"I thought you wanted a baby."   
  
"I do want a baby. Your baby, but..." He just looked at her, and she thought things over. She did want him, she did want the baby, and maybe..."Maybe, if we do this then its like an itch."  
  
"An itch?" Craig was lost on what Coralie meant.  
  
"An itch. Once you scratch it, its gone. If we do this now, we can go back to taking things slow." Coralie was sure this would work, it had to.   
  
Craig just smiled at her and led the way to his bedroom. Coralie followed, and the minute he closed the door she was kissing him. Somehow, they made it to the bed, hands everywhere, stripping. It was just as good as they'd remembered, and their bodies fit perfectly.  
  
When they were finished, Coralie smiled at Craig, he smiled back. "Coralie...have you...since you moved to DC?"  
  
"Once or twice...I used protection with both of them...you?"  
  
"Nope. I was waiting for you to come back. I figured it wouldn't be good if it wasn't with you."  
  
"But you weren't a virgin when we met."  
  
"It wasn't like this with Manny." He lookd at her. "If you had known, about Manny, would you have done things different."  
  
"Nope."   
  
"I see."  
  
They snuggled under the covers for a few minutes before Craig spoke again. "Marry me."   
  
"What?? Please tell me I'm hearing things and you did not just propose to marry me."   
  
"I can't tell you that. And I'm serious. Coralie, I love you. I want you to get pregnant and work at a tv station and I'll get my degree and we'll move to wherever you want after I'm done at McGill, and we can do it when Joey and Caitlin are out of the country for the honeymoon."  
  
"Craig? First, Breathe." Coralie just was shocked, not only at the proposal but at Craig's run on sentances. "Second, I can't marry you. You're 18."  
  
"That's legal to get married, Coralie." She just looked at him. "Ok, I know what you are thinking. You don't want to get married again at all, do you."  
  
"Its that obvious?"  
  
"To me, yes." Craig looked at Coralie and went on. "But us, we have nothing to do with what happened with you and your ex. Maybe it wasn't right for you two, but that doesn't mean that I'm not ready to marry you at eighteen. I'm not your ex, you know that. I want this, and I will marry you someday, I knew it the moment I drove away from your apartment two years ago. I was absolutly sure I'd find you again and we'd get married. I'm still absolutly sure. I dated other girls in the past two years, but they weren't you. Coralie, I love you. I have money from my dad, we could find a nice place to live...Marry me."  
  
Coralie just looked at him. He was serious about this. Something in her wanted to say yes, to throw her arms around him and kiss him and tell him how wonderful being a family would be. But she had to be mature and practical. "Craig..."  
  
"Just think about it."  
  
"There's a wedding in a little over a week, you know that right?"  
  
"Yeah, I know, I figured we'd do it when they were gone on their honeymoon."   
  
Well, Coralie thought, at least he didn't want a big wedding. This was a good thing, she supposed. "Can I have time to think."  
  
"Sure, let me know after Joey and Caitlin's wedding."  
  
Coralie looked at the clock, and started getting dressed. "Angie should be back from day camp soon, we should get dressed."   
  
"Yeah, we should." As they dressed he spoke again. "Coralie? I love you."  
  
"Craig...I love you too." The words came out before she could stop them, but she didn't take them back. They were true. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

I don't own Degrassi  
  
Strange Fire, Chapter eleven  
  
AN: I'm trying to keep my timeline ok, but I'm skipping over days because nothing happens on those days. Just imagine Craig works and Coralie hangs out with friends or at the studio with Caitlin.   
  
It was about two o'clock on Thursday when Ellie came over to hang out with Coralie. They sat around the living room, the only ones home. "Joey and Caitlin asked me something at breakfast today."  
  
"What did they ask you?"   
  
"If I could stay here when they honeymoon, so that Angie can stay home and still go to day-camp."   
  
"Did you say yes.?"  
  
"I did." Coralie sighed. "I don't know though, after what happened Tuesday."   
  
"What happened Tuesday?" Ellie had been working, but she knew it was Craig's day off, so she assumed that something had happened involving him.   
  
"Craig asked me to marry him."   
  
"What?" Of all the things Coralie could have said, this was the strangest. Then again, this was Craig, and Ellie knew how much he cared about Coralie. He'd cried for weeks after she'd left. "Like married married?"  
  
"Yes. He wants to marry me."  
  
"Do you love him?"  
  
"More than I should love him, and more than I can imagine loving anyone else." Coralie pictured Craig in her head, then, and then pictured the family they'd make together. "But its scary. He's eighteen. When I was eighteen..."  
  
"You were married." Ellie finished. "He's not your ex."  
  
"Now? You sound like Craig. He keeps telling me that. I do believe him, but I don't want him to end up getting hurt."  
  
"Shouldn't you let him make his own choices about getting hurt."   
  
"Yeah, I should. I'm really considering it. He mentioned getting married while Joey and Caitlin are out of town, to avoid confrontation until after-well, he didn't put it that way, but thats what he meant. So I have over a week to make my choice."   
  
"Why do I think you'll take most of the time?"  
  
"Because I need to weigh my options." It was hard, because Ellie didn't know the full story about why she'd come back to Toronto. As Coralie thought about if she could tell Ellie everything, Craig and Marco showed up.   
  
"Don't you have to work?"  
  
"Marco just got home, Joey let me leave early." He kissed Coralie then, a quick brush of lips. It was almost more to see her reaction to that sort of personal embrace than for the kissing-almost. "What, didn't you miss me?"  
  
Coralie laughed softly. "I was so bored, but that wasn't just because of you. No one's around today."  
  
"Now we're all here." Marco said. "So you can't be bored anymore."  
  
Coralie laughed. "True, anyone up for the mall? I mean,we are going clubbing this weekend."  
  
"Tomorrow." Craig said "Marco and I picked tomorrow, Ellie, I know you don't have to work."  
  
"No I don't." Coralie nodded her agreement on going Friday, and they headed to the mall.  
  
When they got there, Ellie and Coralie headed to get Orange Julius while Craig and Marco drooled in the music store-Craig over a guitar and Marco over the hot clerk. Ellie saw someone she knew, and gave Coralie the money while she went over to talk. Coralie ordered the drinks and stood, waiting for Ellie. Just then she saw someone she hadn't seen in years.  
  
"Coralie, how are you?"  
  
"I'm just fine Len." Coralie smiled at Len Carpenter. She had only seen him twice in the six and a half years since they divorsed. She noted to herself how ironic it was to see him days after someone had proposed marriage to her. "How's Stella?"   
  
"Stella's good...we had a baby last year, his name is Jonathan." Len had remarried two years earlier, to another person they'd known in high school. Coralie was happy enough for him, she supposed.  
  
Just then a voice spoke. "Hey, can I have my julius now?" It was Ellie, and Craig and Marco were with her. Coralie handed over the drink.  
  
"I should go. Stella's waiting."   
  
"Bye Len." She said goodbye and walked over to Craig. "Done drooling now?"  
  
"I wasn't drooling. Ok, maybe I was. Its a nice guitar." The four of them set off. "Old friend?" Craig asked it in the sort of way that made Coralie realize he didn't know who Len was.  
  
"Len? He's my ex."  
  
"Husband? Who's Stella then?"  
  
"Yes, exhusband. He remarried a couple years ago, they have a son."   
  
"I see. You've never talk much about him or the marriage."  
  
"We...we just weren't meant to be together, we couldn't live together. It only lasted a little over a year before we filed for divorse."   
  
"What about the wedding? Was it fancy?"   
  
Coralie knew what Craig was really asking. At least, she thought she did. "It was nice. But if you are asking if I'd want a fancy wedding with you, the answer is no. It wouldn't be...With you, it wouldn't be about the wedding, it would be about the marriage."   
  
Craig smiled at Coralie. "Good, because I don't think I could afford a fancy wedding. Or even a fancy ring."  
  
"Craig...if I marry you, which I am considering...It would be for love, not for a fancy ring or a fancy wedding."   
  
It was the closest she'd ever come to talking about a future, and Craig decided to take what he could get. They went to join the others, shopping for clothes to wear the next night. Once everyone had outfits, the four of them decided that they would meet at Craig's at eight, and headed their separate ways. 


	12. Chapter Twelve

I do not own Degrassi.  
  
Strange fire, chapter 12.  
  
The four friends met up at Craig's house at eight pm. Ellie offered to be the designated driver, Joey gave Craig his curfew of two am, and they headed off.  
  
As they neared the club, Coralie started laughing. "Remember the first time we did this? And I had to dress you all?'  
  
The other's laughed, and Marco spoke up. "We weren't dressed that bad..I mean, I thought the only reason you did that was to undress Craig."  
  
"No, it was so that no one realized how young you guys really were." Coralie thought back to that time in her life, and how easy it all had seemed. Now, things didn't seem that easy. Soon, they'd made it to the club and were inside, watching the action.  
  
"Are you happy to be out?" Coralie asked Marco this as they sat, waiting for Craig to come back with their drinks.   
  
"Its nice, but yet...odd without Dylan."  
  
"You'll get used to it."  
  
"Just like you're getting used to being with Craig again."   
  
"Exactly." She looked at her friend and spoke the question that had been worrying her. "Did he really..does he really...really. I mean.."  
  
Marco laughed, and realized what she was trying to say. "Coralie, if Craig had amnesia, he'd still be able to remember you. He loves you that much."   
  
"I love him too, but life is complicated."  
  
"Its only as complicated as you make it." Marco noted, as Craig headed back to the table.   
  
Craig handed over the drinks, and they watched Ellie, who was dancing. "Aren't you going to dance?"  
  
"Later." Coralie said.  
  
"Now." Was Marco's reply, as he grabbed her and showed her to the dance floor. The two danced for a couple songs, then Coralie headed back to Craig and Marco zeroed in on a young man he seemed interested in.   
  
"You looked good out there."  
  
"I like dancing with Marco, but.."  
  
"But what?"  
  
"I like dancing with you better. We just fit."  
  
"Yes, we do. Or, we did fit. Do you want to see if we still do?"  
  
Coralie just nodded, and Craig took her hand and headed to the floor. It was just as they'd rememberd, the fit was perfect and they moved as though they belonged together.   
  
After dancing, they headed back to the table, laughing. Ellie was sitting there, and not alone. The blond they'd ran into at dinner the previous weekend was sitting with her. Ellie looked like she was going to strangle the blond.  
  
"Craig! and...Carrie, right?"  
  
"Its Coralie."  
  
"Yes, Coralie. I'm Paige."  
  
"Nice to see you again." Coralie plopped down next to Ellie, with Craig next to Coralie. "Having fun?"  
  
"Something like that. Hazel saw a guy and is off with him."  
  
"I remember those days." Coralie said, suddenly feeling very very old.   
  
No one said anything for a few minutes, then Coralie got up to get herself another drink. Then Paige spoke. "Whats the story with you two, Craig."  
  
"No story, we're at a club with Ellie and Marco."  
  
"I saw you on the dance floor, there's a story there."  
  
"We're...involved I guess you'd say."  
  
"She has to be at least twenty four!"  
  
"Actually, I'm twenty-six." Coralie had snuck up on the three at the table. "And if you have something to say about me, try saying it to my face, ok?"   
  
"YOu're just a little old for Craig."  
  
"That's Craig's business, isn't it?"   
  
Ellie could tell that Coralie was going into full-on protect herself mode, and decided to end things. "Paige, you should go."  
  
"Fine, I'll go." Paige stood up and walked away, and Coralie sat back at the table, Craig reached for her hand.   
  
"Its ok."  
  
"I know, I know." It was just odd, she realized. Being reminded of the age difference. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

I do not own Degrassi.  
  
Strange Fire, chapter 13.  
  
Tuesday morning, Coralie lay in bed and didn't want to get up. It was Craig's day off, and she'd been avoiding him quite well since Friday night. With the wedding looming Saturday it worked quite well, because Craig was very busy. However, she knew without thinking that Craig was sititng downstairs, waiting for her to wake up. She didn't know how she could face him with the confusion that filled her.  
  
Coralie knew she loved Craig, she was also positive that sometimes, love wasn't enough. And she had a feeling that this was one of those times. Coralie just sighed, threw some clothes on and headed downstairs.   
  
Just as she'd assumed, Craig was there, sitting on the couch. His face lit up when she walked down the stairs. "Coralie, you're up!"  
  
"Yep. Just gonna get some breakfast." Craig followed her into the kitchen, and watched her trying to ignore his presence.  
  
"You're avoiding me."  
  
"Craig..." She knew she couldn't lie. "Yes, I'm avoiding you. Happy now?"  
  
"Not unless you tell me why you are avoiding me."  
  
"Because..because this isn't going to work. You saw what happened Friday night with that Paige girl."  
  
"She's Paige, she's always like that-judgemental."  
  
"She won't be the only one. You have to think rationally Craig."  
  
"Why? So you can leave me again? I'm sick of everyone I love leaving me. I loved my mom, I loved Ashley, I love you. I'd like to break the cycle." Craig was furious. Furious at Coralie, furious at the situation, and furious at himself for what he'd just said. He didn't want Coralie to know his fear.  
  
"Craig...even if we got married...it might not work out."  
  
"I'd rather take the chance that a marriage not work out than you run away from me again. I'm not Len."  
  
Coralie's next words were bitter. "I know you aren't, but either way, the thought of being twice divorced before I'm 30 isn't exactly amusing to me."  
  
"Why can't you trust me?"  
  
"I just can't, ok?" Coralie did trust Craig, that was the problem. But she wasn't going to tell him that. "Craig, I've been on my own since before I turned 20. I went to college with scholorships and worked. I've even saved a little nest egg. I enjoy being alone, I don't want to change that now. And love..maybe love isn't always enough, did you ever think of that?"   
  
"How do you know unless you try?" The look on Craig's face was so pure, so loving, so everything, that it made Coralie do the only thing she could do. Burst into tears. "Coralie, Coralie, don't cry." He put his arms around her. "What's wrong love?"  
  
"Craig, I'm so scared."  
  
"Don't be scared."  
  
"How can I not be? I'm so used to being alone, and now you come in and break down my defenses so totally. In two weeks, even."  
  
"Maybe I managed it because you were ready to have your defenses broken down." Craig had been wiser than his years since the moment his father's fist had first hit his little boy body. He'd become a man then, and more of a man the day Manny had come to him and told him she'd spent the day before at a clinic. He just had to hope that Coralie saw that he really was an adult.  
  
"Maybe. I love you, Craig."  
  
"I love you too, Coralie." He smiled at her, and she looked up into his eyes.  
  
"The wedding's Saturday."  
  
"Yes, it is."  
  
"Are you working next week?"  
  
"Just mornings."  
  
"We'll go Monday and get the licence." Coralie didn't quite believe what she was saying, but she knew one thing. She loved Craig, and the thought of her life without him was scarier than the thought of life with him. "This morning, I tried to imagine myself laying in bed five years from now, and whenever I turned my head you were laying next to me in that imaginary bed."  
  
Craig knew what she was saying. "Is that why you picked the fight?"  
  
"Probably...yeah, it is." They smiled at each other.  
  
"So, you're gonna marry me."  
  
"Yes. Joey's going to kill you when he gets back from his honeymoon."  
  
"We'll deal with that later." Craig kissed Coralie. "And we won't tell anyone until after Joey and Caitlin's wedding."  
  
Coralie nodded and kissed him back. 


End file.
